Written Answers Wednesday 30 August 2006

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the pilot scheme on alcohol sales to underage customers currently operating in Fife to other parts of the country.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive recognises alcohol test purchasing is an effective means of enforcing liquor licensing law and we are keen to extend the scheme to other areas as soon as practicable. However, the welfare of the children and young people taking part in the test purchasing of alcohol remains a prime concern. Before extending the scheme elsewhere, therefore, it is important for the lessons learned in the Fife pilot to be reflected in national operating procedures for adoption by all Scottish Police Forces which will ensure test purchasing is carried out safely, fairly and effectively.

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is assisting agencies in the Grampian area to deal with binge drinking and its effects.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive provides support for a network of local alcohol and drug action teams made up of key partners and agencies which identify, prioritise and co-ordinate activities at a local level to reduce alcohol related harm, including addressing excessive drinking and its effects.

  In addition to national activities including communications work, the Scottish Executive has provided an additional £669,000 to support local activities across Grampian in 2005-06 and 2006-07. This has enabled the three local Alcohol and Drug Action Teams, covering Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City to educate people on the consequences of excessive drinking and ensure that service development is in line with local need.

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is ensuring that agencies working in areas particularly affected by binge drinking and its consequences, such as those in Grampian, receive the appropriate resources designed to help them reduce the levels, and negative effects, of binge drinking.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards and local alcohol and drug action teams are best placed to ensure that activities and services being taken forward at a local level are supporting delivery of our overall priorities for reducing alcohol related harm.

  To support this, the Scottish Executive has provided nearly £10 million of additional funding to NHS Boards in 2005-06 and 2006-07. This funding has been allocated across Scotland on a transparent basis, according to local need whilst ensuring a reasonable minimum level of funding is provided to all areas.

Common Agricultural Policy

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on further reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, referred to in the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ letter to the Prime Minister outlining priorities for DEFRA.

Ross Finnie: We have regular discussions with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on a range of issues. We have repeatedly made it clear that our priorities for Scottish Agriculture are as set out in A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture- Next Steps .

Earnings

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average salary is of staff employed by public agencies, non-departmental public bodies and local authorities and what the pay differential is between the lowest and highest paid workers in these bodies.

Mr Tom McCabe: The preferred source for earnings estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

  Earnings estimates are not available for employees within public agencies and non-departmental bodies specifically. However, estimates are available for central government employee jobs and local authority employee jobs.

  Table 1 shows the gross annual median earnings, the annual pay below which the bottom twenty per cent of employees earn, the annual pay above which the top twenty per cent of employees earn and the bottom twenty per cent pay as a proportion of the top twenty percent pay, which gives an indication of the pay differential. All estimates are based on those in full-time employee jobs.

  Table 1 Annual Gross Pay (£) for Full-time Employee Jobs1, Scotland, 2005

  

 Public Sector Status
 Median2 Annual Pay
 Bottom 20% earn below
Top20% earn above
 Bottom pay as a proportion of Top pay


 Central Government
£22,626
£15,033
£31,667
 47.5%


 Local Authority
£24,423
£16,355
£32,226
 50.8%



  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

  Notes:

  1. Employees on adult rates who have been in the same job for more than a year.

  2. The median is the value below which 50 per cent of employee jobs fall. It is preferred over an arithmetic average for earnings data as it is influenced less by large or extreme values.

  3. The estimates in the table are based on a sample survey, and as such, are subject to sampling error.

Education

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken any steps to identify how many schools built under PFI/PPP contracts have experienced problems with excessive heat, in light of recent reports of staff at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh fainting as a result of high temperatures.

Peter Peacock: Such identification would be for local authorities, in association with their PPP partners where appropriate. What the Executive has done is to encourage authorities to evaluate all new schools, no matter the type of procurement, to see how they are meeting the needs of users. Our guidance suggests that such evaluation be conducted after 12 months when a full climate cycle has been experienced.

Education

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to order a review by local authorities of the recruitment procedures used by school head teachers to ensure that they are in line with local authorities’ policies and procedures, current discrimination legislation and good employment practice, in light of a recent sex discrimination employment tribunal ruling against Scottish Borders Council.

Peter Peacock: Employment legislation is a reserved matter and as such any guidance would be for the relevant bodies to issue. The Scottish Executive expects all local authorities to devise polices and procedures that comply with the law, and to monitor their implementation. We understand that Scottish Borders are currently reviewing their procedures and have already provided special training to all head teachers, and others involved in the selection process, in light of this ruling.

Education

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that school head teachers and others to whom the selection and recruitment of staff is devolved by local authorities act in line with local authorities’ policies and procedures, current discrimination legislation and good employment practice, in light of a recent sex discrimination employment tribunal ruling against Scottish Borders Council.

Peter Peacock: Recruitment and Selection procedures are matters for local authorities. The Scottish Executive expects all local authorities to devise polices and procedures that comply with the law, and to monitor their implementation. We understand that Scottish Borders have provided special training to all head teachers, and others involved in the selection process, in light of this ruling.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent it has considered and provided guidance on any privacy and data protection issues which may arise as a result of changes which it is implementing in arrangements for the supply of stoma care appliances.

Lewis Macdonald: The new arrangements for the supply of stoma products do not change the need for informed consent when patient data is shared. I understand that community pharmacists who are also stoma service providers have already been reminded of this by their representative organisation, the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures are in place to ensure that all contracted stoma appliance and service providers comply with new service standards introduced in April 2006.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26419 on 14 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all members of the steering group overseeing the introduction of new arrangements for the supply of stoma appliances will be invited to participate in reviewing the arrangements in autumn 2006.

Lewis Macdonald: The membership of the national review group is to be finalised. However, I can confirm that we intend to continue to involve patient groups and service provider representatives in addition to NHS managers and clinicians.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local plans for the implementation of new stoma service arrangements have been received from all local implementation groups and, if not, what the reasons are for any delay.

Lewis Macdonald: Local implementation plans have been received and published on the appliance website ( http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/appliance_contractors/ ) for all NHS Boards except for NHS Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles. Health Department officials are working with those Boards to ensure that their plans are submitted and published as quickly as possible.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any examples of pharmacists sending out patient identifiable information to third party contractors to cut and fit stoma care appliances without advising patients of this either directly or through a general notice displayed in the pharmacy; whether it considers that such a practice would comply with the statutory and professional standards and the national service standards referred to in the answer to question S2W-26419 by Lewis Macdonald on 14 June 2006, and whether it will take action to ensure that any such practices cannot be employed.

Lewis Macdonald: Health Department officials are not aware of any community pharmacy contractor not meeting their legal or contractual duties in respect to the supply of stoma products. They are, however, aware that patient groups and competing stoma service providers have raised concerns about this. Community pharmacists who are also stoma service providers have already been reminded of their duties by their representative organisation, the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council.

  The audit of the new supply arrangements, currently being undertaken, provides an opportunity for any such issues to be identified and addressed.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many housing repair grants were awarded in each local authority area in 2004-05 and, of these, how many included some element for lead pipe replacement.

Malcolm Chisholm: The number of grants awarded to the private sector for lead repairs in 2004-05 are shown in the following table.

  Number Of Grants to the Private Sector for Lead Repair Work by Local Authority Area: 2004-05

  

 
 Total number of grants
 Grants for lead repairs


 Scotland
 14,916
 712


 Aberdeen City
 587
 51


 Aberdeenshire
 248
 2


 Angus
 396
 3


 Argyll and Bute
 340
 6


 Clackmannanshire
 118
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1,310
 2


 Dundee City
 607
 7


 East Ayrshire
 233
 11


 East Dunbartonshire
 162
 19


 East Lothian
 290
 18


 East Renfrewshire
 276
 91


 Edinburgh (City of)
 474
 -


 Eilean Siar
 461
 1


 Falkirk
 189
 34


 Fife
 238
 63


 Glasgow City
 1,459
 91


 Highland
 858
 14


 Inverclyde
 91
 7


 Midlothian
 77
 6


 Moray
 250
 6


 North Ayrshire
 509
 30


 North Lanarkshire
 1,091
 34


 Orkney
 116
 -


 Perth and Kinross
 373
 18


 Renfrewshire
 517
 20


 Scottish Borders
 148
 -


 Shetland
 64
 -


 South Ayrshire
 202
 24


 South Lanarkshire
 2,245
 86


 Stirling
 188
 30


 West Dunbartonshire
 490
 9


 West Lothian
 309
 28



  Source: IMP1B returns by local authorities to the Scottish Executive Development Department Analytical Services Division (Housing Statistics).

  Note: 1. Nil is denoted by -.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have waiting lists for (a) housing repair grants and (b) housing repair grants that include some element for lead pipe replacement.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have closed their waiting lists for (a) housing repair grants and (b) housing repair grants that include some element for lead pipe replacement.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have been found guilty of a crime in each of the last five years, broken down by category of offence and outcome.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the tables.

  Women with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Main Crime/Offence and Main Penalty, 2000-01

  

 Main crime or offence
 Custody
 Community sentence
 Monetary
 Other
 Total


 All crimes and offences
 933
 1,855
 9,812
 3,315
 15,915


 All crimes
 648
 1,249
 2,524
 1,453
 5,874


 Non-sexual crimes of violence
 54
 89
 21
 57
 221


 Homicide 
 7
 1
 -
 -
 8


 Serious assault and attempted murder
 24
 38
 11
 7
 80


 Robbery 
 18
 17
 5
 4
 44


 Other 
 5
 33
 5
 46
 89


 Crimes of indecency
 -
 7
 105
 47
 159


 Lewd and indecent behaviour 
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1


 Other 
 -
 7
 104
 47
 158


 Crimes of dishonesty
 451
 785
 1,648
 875
 3,759


 Housebreaking 
 15
 18
 27
 12
 72


 Theft by opening a lockfast place 
 2
 12
 9
 14
 37


 Theft of/from a motor vehicle 
 1
 8
 16
 19
 44


 Shoplifting 
 272
 321
 908
 476
 1,977


 Other theft 
 103
 198
 343
 185
 829


 Fraud 
 22
 91
 213
 80
 406


 Other 
 36
 137
 132
 89
 394


 Fire-raising, vandalism, etc
 7
 56
 209
 82
 354


 Fire-raising 
 1
 9
 2
 3
 15


 Vandalism etc 
 6
 47
 207
 79
 339


 Other crime
 136
 312
 541
 392
 1,381


 Crimes against public justice 
 57
 115
 214
 237
 623


 Handling an offensive weapon 
 14
 45
 21
 37
 117


 Drugs 
 64
 152
 306
 118
 640


 Other 
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1


 All offences
 285
 606
 7,288
 1,862
 10,041


 Miscellaneous offences
 269
 554
 3,014
 1,633
 5,470


 Common assault 
 68
 221
 683
 460
 1,432


 Breach of the peace 
 37
 103
 847
 589
 1,576


 Drunkenness 
 -
 1
 22
 22
 45


 Breach of social work orders 
 164
 201
 41
 207
 613


 Other 
 -
 28
 1,421
 355
 1,804


 Motor vehicle offences
 16
 52
 4,274
 229
 4,571


 Dangerous and careless driving 
 -
 3
 268
 19
 290


 Drunk driving 
 4
 20
 622
 16
 662


 Speeding 
 -
 -
 1,116
 2
 1,118


 Unlawful use of vehicle 
 12
 29
 1,681
 168
 1,890


 Vehicle defect offences 
 -
 -
 79
 11
 90


 Other 
 -
 -
 508
 13
 521



  Women with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Main Crime/Offence and Main Penalty, 2001-02

  

 Main crime or offence
 Custody
 Community sentence
 Monetary
 Other
 Total


 All crimes and offences
 1,126
 2,142
 9,900
 3,301
 16,469


 All crimes
 820
 1,476
 2,543
 1,483
 6,322


 Non-sexual crimes of violence
 52
 106
 21
 46
 225


 Homicide 
 6
 3
 -
 -
 9


 Serious assault and attempted murder
 22
 51
 9
 5
 87


 Robbery 
 23
 19
 5
 2
 49


 Other 
 1
 33
 7
 39
 80


 Crimes of indecency
 1
 14
 70
 28
 113


 Lewd and indecent behaviour 
 -
 1
 1
 2
 4


 Other 
 1
 13
 69
 26
 109


 Crimes of dishonesty
 576
 923
 1,665
 899
 4,063


 Housebreaking 
 11
 31
 21
 14
 77


 Theft by opening a lockfast place 
 6
 14
 11
 6
 37


 Theft of/from a motor vehicle 
 4
 18
 18
 13
 53


 Shoplifting 
 374
 438
 932
 536
 2,280


 Other theft 
 114
 190
 323
 167
 794


 Fraud 
 20
 95
 230
 82
 427


 Other 
 47
 137
 130
 81
 395


 Fire-raising, vandalism, etc
 22
 60
 210
 62
 354


 Fire-raising 
 6
 13
 -
 2
 21


 Vandalism etc 
 16
 47
 210
 60
 333


 Other crime
 169
 373
 577
 448
 1,567


 Crimes against public justice 
 64
 142
 212
 281
 699


 Handling an offensive weapon 
 13
 44
 34
 30
 121


 Drugs 
 92
 187
 330
 137
 746


 Other 
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1


 All offences
 306
 666
 7,357
 1,818
 10,147


 Miscellaneous offences
 295
 586
 2,671
 1,575
 5,127


 Common assault 
 69
 248
 769
 483
 1,569


 Breach of the peace 
 69
 117
 907
 568
 1,661


 Drunkenness 
 -
 -
 18
 13
 31


 Breach of social work orders 
 152
 186
 51
 209
 598


 Other 
 5
 35
 926
 302
 1,268


 Motor vehicle offences
 11
 80
 4,686
 243
 5,020


 Dangerous and careless driving 
 1
 4
 365
 20
 390


 Drunk driving 
 1
 28
 654
 14
 697


 Speeding 
 -
 -
 1,232
 1
 1,233


 Unlawful use of vehicle 
 9
 47
 1,824
 195
 2,075


 Vehicle defect offences 
 -
 -
 65
 6
 71


 Other 
 -
 1
 546
 7
 554



  Women with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Main Crime/Offence and Main Penalty, 2002-03

  

 Main crime or offence
 Custody
 Community sentence
 Monetary
 Other
 Total


 All crimes and offences
 1,215
 2,598
 11,599
 3,546
 18,958


 All crimes
 793
 1,657
 2,552
 1,571
 6,573


 Non-sexual crimes of violence
 74
 144
 27
 58
 303


 Homicide 
 9
 -
 -
 1
 10


 Serious assault and attempted murder
 20
 59
 17
 7
 103


 Robbery 
 40
 40
 3
 3
 86


 Other 
 5
 45
 7
 47
 104


 Crimes of indecency
 -
 5
 67
 30
 102


 Lewd and indecent behaviour 
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Other 
 -
 4
 67
 30
 101


 Crimes of dishonesty
 541
 1,081
 1,611
 936
 4,169


 Housebreaking 
 14
 33
 23
 16
 86


 Theft by opening a lockfast place 
 3
 14
 16
 8
 41


 Theft of/from a motor vehicle 
 1
 6
 23
 12
 42


 Shoplifting 
 344
 581
 958
 564
 2,447


 Other theft 
 116
 203
 257
 178
 754


 Fraud 
 15
 98
 199
 94
 406


 Other 
 48
 146
 135
 64
 393


 Fire-raising, vandalism, etc
 21
 39
 265
 101
 426


 Fire-raising 
 6
 3
 2
 -
 11


 Vandalism etc 
 15
 36
 263
 101
 415


 Other crime
 157
 388
 582
 446
 1,573


 Crimes against public justice 
 70
 134
 185
 252
 641


 Handling an offensive weapon 
 10
 45
 33
 40
 128


 Drugs 
 77
 208
 357
 153
 795


 Other 
 -
 1
 7
 1
 9


 All offences
 422
 941
 9,047
 1,975
 12,385


 Miscellaneous offences
 395
 789
 3,324
 1,673
 6,181


 Common assault 
 113
 315
 868
 479
 1,775


 Breach of the peace 
 65
 111
 936
 642
 1,754


 Drunkenness 
 -
 2
 23
 16
 41


 Breach of social work orders 
 213
 305
 53
 230
 801


 Other 
 4
 56
 1,444
 306
 1,810


 Motor vehicle offences
 27
 152
 5,723
 302
 6,204


 Dangerous and careless driving 
 3
 8
 423
 26
 460


 Drunk driving 
 10
 70
 1,060
 18
 1,158


 Speeding 
 -
 -
 1,419
 4
 1,423


 Unlawful use of vehicle 
 14
 73
 2,158
 225
 2,470


 Vehicle defect offences 
 -
 -
 105
 7
 112


 Other 
 -
 1
 558
 22
 581



  Women with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Main Crime/Offence and Main Penalty, 2003-04

  

 Main crime or offence
 Custody
 Community sentence
 Monetary
 Other
 Total


 All crimes and offences
 1,300
 2,594
 13,124
 3,833
 20,851


 All crimes
 878
 1,668
 2,731
 1,660
 6,937


 Non-sexual crimes of violence
 89
 163
 30
 93
 375


 Homicide 
 7
 2
 -
 1
 10


 Serious assault and attempted murder
 37
 70
 13
 10
 130


 Robbery 
 37
 34
 10
 7
 88


 Other 
 8
 57
 7
 75
 147


 Crimes of indecency
 -
 5
 96
 30
 131


 Lewd and indecent behaviour 
 -
 3
 -
 1
 4


 Other 
 -
 2
 96
 29
 127


 Crimes of dishonesty
 565
 1,023
 1,615
 955
 4,158


 Housebreaking 
 16
 47
 23
 17
 103


 Theft by opening a lockfast place 
 7
 12
 13
 8
 40


 Theft of/from a motor vehicle 
 4
 16
 20
 11
 51


 Shoplifting 
 364
 552
 922
 603
 2,441


 Other theft 
 107
 160
 274
 158
 699


 Fraud 
 23
 113
 236
 87
 459


 Other 
 44
 123
 127
 71
 365


 Fire-raising, vandalism, etc
 25
 62
 270
 94
 451


 Fire-raising 
 4
 14
 3
 1
 22


 Vandalism etc 
 21
 48
 267
 93
 429


 Other crime
 199
 415
 720
 488
 1,822


 Crimes against public justice 
 80
 161
 211
 268
 720


 Handling an offensive weapon 
 13
 38
 53
 34
 138


 Drugs 
 106
 215
 451
 186
 958


 Other 
 -
 1
 5
 -
 6


 All offences
 422
 926
 10,393
 2,173
 13,914


 Miscellaneous offences
 393
 803
 3,918
 1,854
 6,968


 Common assault 
 98
 331
 906
 627
 1,962


 Breach of the peace 
 79
 149
 984
 600
 1,812


 Drunkenness 
 8
 -
 30
 13
 51


 Breach of social work orders 
 202
 275
 50
 207
 734


 Other 
 6
 48
 1,948
 407
 2,409


 Motor vehicle offences
 29
 123
 6,475
 319
 6,946


 Dangerous and careless driving 
 3
 5
 528
 38
 574


 Drunk driving 
 5
 56
 943
 17
 1,021


 Speeding 
 -
 -
 1,954
 5
 1,959


 Unlawful use of vehicle 
 20
 61
 2,370
 228
 2,679


 Vehicle defect offences 
 -
 -
 101
 15
 116


 Other 
 1
 1
 579
 16
 597



  Women with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Main Crime/Offence and Main Penalty, 2004-05

  

 Main crime or offence
 Custody
 Community sentence
 Monetary
 Other
 Total


 All crimes and offences
 1,369
 2,737
 13,334
 4,028
 21,468


 All crimes
 924
 1,650
 2,928
 1,757
 7,259


 Non-sexual crimes of violence
 67
 148
 34
 78
 327


 Homicide 
 4
 3
 -
 -
 7


 Serious assault and attempted murder
 33
 60
 15
 10
 118


 Robbery 
 28
 39
 6
 6
 79


 Other 
 2
 46
 13
 62
 123


 Crimes of indecency
 1
 4
 169
 55
 229


 Indecent assault 
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Lewd and indecent behaviour 
 -
 1
 1
 2
 4


 Other 
 -
 3
 168
 53
 224


 Crimes of dishonesty
 599
 987
 1,673
 957
 4,216


 Housebreaking 
 16
 35
 29
 17
 97


 Theft by opening a lockfast place 
 5
 18
 33
 14
 70


 Theft of/from a motor vehicle 
 1
 12
 14
 12
 39


 Shoplifting 
 395
 500
 954
 606
 2,455


 Other theft 
 115
 172
 280
 164
 731


 Fraud 
 32
 132
 244
 87
 495


 Other 
 35
 118
 119
 57
 329


 Fire-raising, vandalism, etc 
 22
 64
 304
 111
 501


 Fire-raising 
 4
 14
 2
 4
 24


 Vandalism etc 
 18
 50
 302
 107
 477


 Other crime
 235
 447
 748
 556
 1,986


 Crimes against public justice 
 78
 168
 211
 327
 784


 Handling an offensive weapon 
 16
 45
 78
 40
 179


 Drugs 
 140
 234
 456
 188
 1,018


 Other 
 1
 -
 3
 1
 5


 All offences
 445
 1,087
 10,406
 2,271
 14,209


 Miscellaneous offences
 420
 948
 4,105
 1,993
 7,466


 Common assault 
 133
 435
 945
 577
 2,090


 Breach of the peace 
 95
 192
 969
 667
 1,923


 Drunkenness 
 2
 5
 22
 21
 50


 Breach of social work orders 
 173
 253
 57
 313
 796


 Other 
 17
 63
 2,112
 415
 2,607


 Motor vehicle offences
 25
 139
 6,301
 278
 6,743


 Dangerous and careless driving 
 -
 16
 460
 35
 511


 Drunk driving 
 2
 54
 1,041
 15
 1,112


 Speeding 
 -
 -
 2,160
 14
 2,174


 Unlawful use of vehicle 
 23
 67
 2,051
 189
 2,330


 Vehicle defect offences 
 -
 -
 112
 8
 120


 Other 
 -
 2
 477
 17
 496

Non-Domestic Rates

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses have a rateable value of (a) under £10,000, (b) £10,000 to £11,499, (c) £11,500 to £19,999, (d) £20,000 to £29,999, (e) £30,000 to £39,999 and (f) £40,000 or above.

Mr Tom McCabe: : The latest available information (1 July 2006) is contained in the following table:

  

 Rateable Value
 Number of Subjects
 Total Rateable Value/£


 Zero
 8,273
 0


 Less than £10,000
 134,665
 472,388,253


£10,000 or above but less than £11,500
 6,485
 69,073,485


£11,500 or above but less than £20,000
 21,221
 318,452,744


£20,000 or above but less than £30,000
 11,141
 269,926,422


£30,000 or above but less than £40,000
 6,180
 213,187,684


£40,000 or above
 21,699
 3,848,772,700


 Total all subjects
 209,664
 5,191,801,288



  Source: Scottish Assessors Association.

Organ Retention

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27186 by Mr Andy Kerr on 26 July 2006, whether bereaved families have the right to reclaim before 2007 any organs which have been retained at post mortems authorised by procurators fiscal and, if so, by what means it is publishing this right.

Elish Angiolini QC: Procurators Fiscal have a duty to investigate all sudden, unexplained, unexpected or suspicious deaths in order to establish the cause of death.

  A Procurator Fiscal may require an invasive autopsy to be carried out. On rare occasions it may be necessary to remove and retain an organ from the body of the deceased. This is done on the authority of the Procurator Fiscal for the purpose of trying to establish the cause of death, and for no other purpose.

  When an organ has been retained and the autopsy investigations into the cause of death have been completed, that organ should be treated with sensitivity and in accordance with the wishes of bereaved nearest relatives whenever possible. Options include the return of the organ to the nearest relatives.

  Procurators Fiscal give information to bereaved nearest relatives about organ retention when an organ has been retained. This is done by way of an information leaflet that is sent to them and can be further discussed with the Procurator Fiscal. The leaflet advises them that an organ has been retained and that when the tests are completed they can decide how they want the organ to be disposed of. The Procurator Fiscal will explain the available options, which may include:

  Separate burial or cremation;

  Delaying the funeral until tests on the organ are completed; or

  Disposal by the pathologist in a sensitive manner.